Shaq Vs. Me
The premise of the new ABC showShaq Vs. is basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal challenges other incredible athletes at their sport, in their house. Even if this guy alleges Shaq and William Morris Endeavor ripped him off, the show has debuted and received some decent write ups.
The other night I settled in with my two sons, ages 13 and 9 to watch Shaq try his best at beach volleyball. Shaq, a parent himself, remains a favorite in our house, mainly because despite this morning’s double parking problem he does seem to try to keep out of the tabloids and he appears care about the image he portrays to children.
If you watched the show, did it bother you that Shaq referred to Olympic Gold Medal (back to back even!) volleyball champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as “girls” instead of women? 
I can’t decide if I’m okay with it or not. Because there are a couple of ways to look at it. On the one hand, if kids are his audience, then it does make sense to put the competition in kid-like terms, i.e. “boys versus girls.” But on the other hand, I’m a feminist who is raising her sons to be likewise and I can’t help but be concerned the references made to May-Treanor and Walsh being girls belittles these women and their many accomplishments. After all, I didn’t hear Shaq refer to himself as being a boy. In fact, several times he refers to himself as being a man. A man capable of beating the women at their sport. Even if they are really accomplished athletes, Shaq counters with, ”Yes, but they’re still girls.”
Would Shaq be cool with his daughters’s skills, whether they be athletic or intellectual, being minimized based solely upon their gender? After all, his girls will be women soon if they aren’t already.
So Shaq, why don’t you tell me if you still believe boys are better than girls even after two women beat your massively manly self at beach volleyball. Go ahead, I’m listening and so are my sons.
Interesting issues here. I haven’t watched it, so I can’t speak to the actual show, but was he actually saying it derogatorily? I used to get up in arms about the girls vs. women thing, and still do if it’s used purposely to be derogatory. Lately, though, ‘girls’ has become more of a term that is used in referring to women in general. See: Girl’s Night Out, the “My Girls” app on Facebook, etc. Knowing (the little) that I know about Shaq, I personally don’t think that he meant any offense.
Here is a link to the full episode online. http://vp2.abc.go.com/watch/shaq-vs/230338/231782/shaq-vs-misty-and-kerri Whenever you have time take a look and see what you think.